Lead Manufacturing Engineer

About Us We're on a mission to revolutionize the CAD industry by developing the world's most advanced hardware design infrastructure and tools. Mechanical CAD is in the dark ages, and hardware demands have outpaced today’s hardware design infrastructure. The industry is due for a refresh, and w e're laying the foundation for a modern hardware design toolkit so that you can create new design tools never before possible. We are headquartered in Los Angeles, CA with both a local and remote team. We were founded and incubated by Embedded Ventures in 2021. About You We’re looking for curious, innovative, and ambitious self-starters to join our lean and growing team to help us bring our mission to life. We think you’ll thrive on our team if you’re: Curious at your core, with an eagerness to learn and do things differently Customer-focused, always thinking about ways to improve the user experience Able to operate autonomously and work asynchronously, while also being an effective team player About The Role As a Lead Manufacturing Engineer at Zoo, you will lead the development and operation of our manufacturing systems, machine shop, and hardware production workflows that power the future of engineering design. You will serve as a technical leader across machining, fabrication, process development, tooling, prototyping, and production operations, helping bridge advanced digital engineering with real-world manufacturing execution. This is a highly hands-on role for someone who thrives at the intersection of manufacturing engineering, machining, process optimization, and operational leadership. You will work across CNC machining, fixture design, manufacturing process development, production scaling, and shop operations while helping establish the systems, standards, and workflows that enable rapid hardware innovation. You will play a critical role in building scalable manufacturing capabilities, improving production efficiency, and helping shape the future of Zoo’s hardware development and manufacturing infrastructure. What You’ll Do Lead day-to-day manufacturing and machine shop operations, including scheduling, workflow management, equipment readiness, and production prioritization Develop and optimize manufacturing processes for prototypes, fixtures, production hardware, and internal tooling Program, set up, and operate CNC mills, CNC lathes, manual machines, and fabrication equipment to manufacture precision components Partner closely with engineering teams to evaluate manufacturability, tolerances, materials, assembly considerations, and production readiness Translate CAD models, engineering drawings, and GD&T requirements into robust and repeatable manufacturing processes Develop tooling, fixturing, workholding solutions, and process documentation to improve throughput, repeatability, and quality Drive continuous improvement initiatives across cycle time reduction, process optimization, scrap reduction, uptime, and manufacturing scalability Establish manufacturing standards, shop procedures, quality controls, and operational best practices Support new product introduction (NPI) efforts from prototype through early production builds Inspect and validate finished components using calipers, micrometers, indicators, CMM tools, and other metrology equipment Troubleshoot machining issues, dimensional nonconformities, tooling wear, machine performance problems, and manufacturing bottlenecks Help design and build out future manufacturing facilities, shop layouts, workflows, and production infrastructure Manage tooling, consumables, raw materials, spare components, and manufacturing equipment readiness Coordinate with external vendors, fabrication houses, and manufacturing partners when overflow or specialized production support is required Support hiring, training, mentorship, and development of machinists, technicians, and future manufacturing team members Maintain a safe, clean, organized, and operationally disciplined manufacturing env